Technical Field
The present invention relates to image forming systems that include image forming apparatuses such as Multi-Functional Peripherals (MFPs), and techniques related thereto.
Background Art
Communication between image forming apparatuses and mobile terminal devices may use various types of wireless communication technology. Examples include communication using wireless LANs (e.g., IEEE 802. 11) and/or short-distance wireless communication. One example of the short-distance wireless communication is communication based on the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-67723 describes a technique that is not related to an image forming apparatus, but that uses communication based on the Bluetooth standard for wireless communication between a mobile terminal and a peripheral device.
Pairing modes of the communication based on the Bluetooth standard (Bluetooth communication) include a mode that does not involve an operation (authentication operation) in which a user authenticates a connection destination device for Bluetooth communication, and a mode that involves the authentication operation.
One example of the mode that does not involve the authentication operation (also referred to as “no-authentication required mode”) is “Just Works.” In the “Just Works” mode, for example, a user does not perform the operation of authenticating a connection destination device for Bluetooth communication, and a device that is detected by a connection source device is automatically determined as a connection destination device and automatically paired with the connection source device.
Using the no-authentication required mode (e.g., “Just Works”) saves users from performing the operation of authenticating a connection destination device (e.g., operation of authorizing the connection destination device) and does not reduce usability for users. However, in the case where multiple connectable apparatuses are in close proximity to one another, not involving the operation of a user authenticating a connection destination device may result in a situation where the connection source device is connected to a device other than the desired connection destination device for the user.
On the other hand, one example of the mode that involves the operation of a user authenticating a connection destination device (also referred to as “authentication required mode”) is “Numeric Comparison.” In the “Numeric Comparison” mode, for example, both a connection source device and a connection destination device display the same authentication code (authentication number) on their display units. Then, a pairing of the two devices is performed when the user has authenticated the device that displays the authentication code as the desired connection destination device and has performed an operation of approving of the desired connection destination device (approval operation), such as an operation of pressing an “OK” button, as the authentication operation.
In the case of using the authentication required mode (e.g., “Numeric Comparison”), the user is able to establish suitable and appropriate connection to his or her desired connection destination device through the operation of authenticating the connection destination device. However, using the authentication required mode requires the user to perform the operation of authenticating the connection destination device, thus increasing the trouble of the user (the trouble of performing the authentication operation) and reducing usability for the user.
In this way, usability for users is reduced when the authentication required mode is mainly used as the pairing mode of Bluetooth communication, and connection to a device other than the desired connection destination device for a user may be established when the no-authentication required mode is mainly used as the pairing mode.